The Manhattan Transfer

Riding a wave of nostalgia in the '70s, the Manhattan Transfer resurrected jazz trends from boogie-woogie to bop to vocalese in a slick, slightly commercial setting that balanced the group's close harmonies. Originally formed in 1969, the quartet recorded several albums of jazz standards as well as much material closer to R&B/pop. Still, they were easily the most popular jazz vocal group of their era, and the most talented of any since the heyday of Lambert, Hendricks & Ross during the early '60s.

When the group was formed in the late '60s, however, the Manhattan Transfer was a hippie cornball act similar to the Lovin' Spoonful or Spanky & Our Gang. The lone LP that appeared from the original lineup -- leader Gene Pistilli plus Tim Hauser, Erin Dickins, Marty Nelson, and Pat Rosalia -- was Jukin', assembled by Capitol. An odd and hardly successful satire record, it was the last appearance on a Manhattan Transfer album for all of the above except Hauser.

After Hauser met vocalists Laurel Masse and Janis Siegel in 1972, the trio re-formed the Manhattan Transfer later that year with the addition of Alan Paul. The group became popular after appearances at a few New York hotspots and recorded their own debut, an eponymous LP recorded with help from the jazz world (including Zoot Sims, Randy Brecker, Jon Faddis, and Mel Davis). Featuring vocalese covers of "Java Jive" and "Tuxedo Junction" as well as a Top 40 hit in the aggressive gospel tune "Operator," the album rejuvenated the field of vocalese (dormant since the mid-'60s) and made the quartet stars in the jazz community across Europe as well as America.

The Manhattan Transfer's next two albums, Coming Out and Pastiche, minimized the jazz content in favor of covers from around the music community, from Nashville to Los Angeles to Motown. A single from Coming Out, the ballad "Chanson d'Amour," hit number one in Britain. Though Masse left in 1979 for a solo career, Cheryl Bentyne proved a capable replacement, and that same year, Extensions introduced their best-known song, "Birdland," the ode to bop written by Weather Report several years earlier.

Throughout the 1980s, the group balanced retreads from all aspects of American song. The 1981 LP Mecca for Moderns gained the Manhattan Transfer their first American Top Ten hit, with a cover of the Ad Libs' 1965 girl group classic "The Boy from New York City," but also included a version of Charlie Parker's "Confirmation" and a surreal, wordless tribute (?) named "Kafka." (The album also earned the Manhattan Transfer honors as the first artist to receive Grammys in both the pop and jazz categories in the same year.) The production on virtually all was susceptible to '80s slickness, and though the group harmonies were wonderful, all but the most open of listeners had trouble digesting the sheer variety of material.

The group's 1985 tribute to vocal pioneer Jon Hendricks, titled Vocalese, marked a shift in the Manhattan Transfer's focus. Subsequent works managed to keep the concepts down to one per album, and the results were more consistent. Such records as 1987's Brasil, 1994's Tubby the Tuba (a children's record), 1995's Tonin' ('60s R&B), and 1997's Swing (pre-war swing) may not have found the group at their performance peak, but were much more easily understandable for what they were.

The group stayed very active and concept-heavy during the 2000s, beginning with a tribute to Louis Armstrong for 2000's The Spirit of St. Louis. They included a pair of Rufus Wainwright songs among the jazz material on 2004's Vibrate, and released An Acapella Christmas the following year. The Symphony Sessions followed in 2006, offering re-recordings of some of their best-known songs with orchestral arrangements.

In 2009, the Transfer saluted one of the biggest names in jazz with The Chick Corea Songbook, and featured contributions from Corea, Airto Moreira, Christian McBride, and Ronnie Cuber, among others. During the early 2010s, the group focused more on performing, although both Bentyne and Hauser were forced to find temporary replacements during medical procedures. After spinal surgery in 2013, Hauser returned to the group, but then died suddenly from cardiac arrest in October 2014. ~ John Bush, Rovi

Don't read this because it actually works. You will be kissed on the nearest Friday by the love of your life. Tomorrow will be the best day of your life. However if u don't post this u will die in 2 days. Now u started reading this so don't stop. This is so scary put this on at least 5 songs in 143 minutes. When done press f6 and your lovers name will come on the screen in big letters. This is so scary because it actually works.

They'd never have to sing anything other than Nightengale Sang in Berkeley Square (sp?) to die happy! I have sung professionally for more than 30 years and done some MT arrngemnts-challenging, rewarding & fun to sing (& even better to listen to THEM)! I'm new to Pandora. Thanks 4 your posts; tells me you don't have to be a singer to appreciate how much effort, energy & polish go into their music and performing!

I love this song birdland, I want to see MT 2 years ago and my my they were so wonderful. I am a huge New York Voices fan as I am of the Manhattan Transfer. I also met the Manhattan Transfer in person and such nice and wonderful people to chat with-:)

2 years ago

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iamhere522

I have loved MT since I first heard them way back. In the 70's I was able to attend one of their live concerts at Ohio State. It was great! One concert I will never forget for two reasons. They were great and I fell and broke my arm leaving the theater. :-)

ManTran is, in my opinion, one of the best and finest vocal groups EVER. One has to see them live in concert to completely appreciate the stellar qualities of their voices and how they interpret songs; in particular, I have not found any other groups that performs vocalese as flawlessly as ManTran.

How wonderful to hear the old school sound...So formal, but so correct, so straight, but also crook in it's own way. The words, they sing, is so clear, but giving you a chance to remember...when people really care about each other, I could go on and on....but the music speak for itself...

Don't read this because it actually works. You will be kissed on the nearest possible Friday by the love of you life. Tomorrow will be the best day of your life. However if you don't post this you will die in 2 days. Now you've started reading so don't stop. This is so scary put this on at least 5 songs in 143 minutes. When done press f6 and your lover's name will come on the screen in big letters. This is so scary because it actually works!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this very talented group! I used to LOVE their TV show. There was nothing else like it. Wish they would do it again. At least show the re-runs. There is something about the Java Jive that makes you want to play it again as soon as it's over. The same with most of their songs. Their covers were always true to and even better than the original versions! Another one I never get enough of is Snowfall on their Christmas Album. :-)

Melissa, my sig-other's 8 year old daughter, is IN LOVE with Soul Food To Go, both the song AND the video. She will come into my office at the odd moment and just flat say, Bill, I want some soul food... and I KNOW what she wants. This from a kid who also loves some stuff her older teenaged sisters like... AH, maybe I can have some good influence. NOW where is my Brasil 66 stuff...

I remember seeing and hearing them sing Operator on the Tonight Show when I was in high school in the late 70's and thinking that was the coolest sound I had ever heard. I still have the 45 of that song. I love this group and their diverse output.

3 years ago

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garyreems

I also have seen them at Jazz Alley in Seattle, also years ago on the Seattle water front. They are great.

A wonderfully inventive and vocally arresting group. I've loved MT since I was in high school. Hearing all of this great music brings back wonderful memories. MT's music continues to move me and has withstood the test of time.

6 years ago

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ackerbex3

In spite (or perhaps because)of the slickness of the production of their albums, there has always been a throughly hip, tongue-in-cheek , ironic flavor to The Transfer's work - sort of a "nudge nudge, wink wink" quality that blends interestingly with the sheer talent displayed by the group. I just wish they'd put out a Christmas album!

6 years ago

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bobbeeos

The transfer.....what can I say they are the most to say the least and from my high school days when all the cool kids listened to them "my clique" deb, julie, gary, dennis, and all the other cool musical kids at matatawan regional....during the ted kurdyla era...oh and let's not forget bobby haralla....I miss the good ole days....listening to the transfer..brings it back!!!!!!! troy g.